And That's When My Life Changed
by GreekyGirl
Summary: That day, I can remember everything from. That day, I was still a lonely rich brat who didn't know she was a lonely rich brat. I was still a regular girl, and I almost never heard anyone say the word "mortal". And then, someone spun around and tried to chop my head off. And that's when my life took an unexpected turn. Rated K .


**A/N: Hi, this takes place during The Titan's Curse. Rachel's POV. Enjoy! PS: Again, I had no references, so I'm not sure if some things are completely correct. But whatever! Thanks, and review!**

**_Rachel_******

I remember being so angry with my dad. So mad at him for so many different reasons. He was so dense, he didn't even know I was upset with him. Of course, that only wanted to make me repeatedly stab him even more.

He thought that after 3/4 of a year of pretending I didn't exist (And I quote: "Rach, I'm busy, why don't you go do something... Else?"), he could sweep me away on a "dream" vacation along with my uncaring mother (I'm not kidding, I think she has a condition). His idea of a great "dream" vacation? The Hoover Dam. Really, Dad? A dam?

I'm what he calls a "Tree Hugger" so he thought I'd like to visit a very boring place rather than an art museum, where we could study the work of famous artists or Africa, where we could help save people from starvation or something (but most likely, he'd force me to relax and get a mani-pedi at either place. What's wrong with my feet, Dad?!). I don't think he knows the definition of tree-hugger.

"Dad," I hissed as we step out of the car and into the open air. I'm not even sure what it felt like. All I know is that I was red-faced from annoyance and that heat was rolling of my body like an avalanche. I had ridden over in my dad's fancy car, and he insisted we keep the heat up so it'd feel like summer. I don't even...

I wanted to pummel him for forcing me down here without telling me where we were going beforehand. He said, "Welcome to the Hoover Dam!" and I was ready to explode.

"Why?" I continued, my fists tightening. I had to keep reminding myself not to punch him in the gut. "Why here?" And then sneeze, which reminded me that I had the most annoying cold that week. It started as winter vacation started, and it'd been constantly bothering me since. Hey, just like my dad.

My dad grinned all happily while we walked towards the thing and said, "Isn't it great?"  
At that moment he reminded me a little of a lost puppy, but I wasn't in the mood for playing fetch.  
"A dam?" I said, incredulous.

My dad only shrugs. How clueless can he get? Ugh, men. "Yeah," he said, looking the slightest bit offended by my tone. "I thought since you were... Well, uhm. I'm not sure how to put this... I thought you liked things like this? Because you're, uhm... Nature friendly, and artsy. Sort of a hipster of sorts. I hear hipsters are very in these days. Honestly, I think-"

"I'm what?" I spoke with a raised eyebrow. Somehow, it was only okay when I labeled myself.

"Well, yeah. That is what you are, right?" he said, stupidly.

"Dad, even if I was, this is a horrible place to bring a hipster. Oh my God, they're such fake freaks, only liking things because other people hate them. Kind of like me actually... Anyway! Seriously, didn't you know dams stop fish from swimming up river? And they collect silt? Plus, dams can cause rivers to just.. die out. Take the Colorado river, right here," I blew my nose into a kleenex I'd stored in my pocket, "For instance. This one just stops flowing when it reaches the desert. It didn't used to be like that. Dams are an obstruction. I don't really like them. At all."

"Well, are they better than Nuclear Power Plants?" My dad countered in a very clumsy way. You'd think as a business man, he'd be better at arguing with his daughter, "It's just one river, Rach. Let it go. Enjoy the place."

"We couldn't have gone somewhere else? Like France? We could've seen the Louvre!" I whined. I know, I sounded like I was seven, but I love art, not dams. Definitely not dams. My nose was running a lot and I randomly spotted a semi-cute guy.

My dad sighed, sounding annoyed. "Rach, we aren't going to the Louvre, we're already here at the Hoover Dam. Now stop complaining. You're not the only one on vacation."

With that, he joined my mother twenty feet ahead of us walking towards the center part of the large structure, where you can walk and see either side of it.

It's really amazing to look at, honestly. On one side, it reminded me of one of those skater rinks that look like emptied out pools.

It sloped almost vertically, and made me wonder how awful it would feel to fall down that. On the other side, there was a glittering lake that was about ten feet from where I leaned over to look at it.. It was sort of disorienting, because there's an emptied-out side, and one that's full of water to the top, nearly. I felt like I was tipping.

The whole setting was beautiful. Even the weird statues with the germy golden feet. I was tempted to touch them, but I figured I was sick, and I didn't want to infect the entire world.

I actually kind of liked the dam, to be honest, but I'd never admit that to my dad. He'd win. Again. Sometimes, I argue with him just to get the satisfaction of seeing him lose for once. I know, it's awful, but if only you knew what he's like...

My dad looked over his shoulder and called to me, saying "We're gonna take a tour down there in a few minutes. Meet us inside."

I nodded to him absently as he slipped inside the door of a building and I continued surveying my surroundings before joining them.

Sometimes, if I blocked out the silence and only focused on the fact that he brought me to a beautiful place, the three of us were together, we seemed like a happy family... I felt okay. I felt normal. But then, he'd pull out a hundred dollar bill and ask if anyone had change for a five. My mother wouldn't look embarrassed, she wouldn't look like anything at all. Just there, as if she were from the outside, looking in.

It would all be whisked away and I'd edge away from these people who called themselves my parents. Why were we so different?

"Hey, mom." I whispered. She looked over with her eternally glassy eyes.

"Yes?"

"Um. Do you.. I don't know, wanna buy t-shirts? We can match."

"Hmm," she said, as if she were thoughtful, but I knew she never felt as if she had a choice. For her, there was always only one answer. Money and beauty. "You can get yourself one, dear, but I'll pass. Gift shop's over there."

I walked to the shop and purchased two shirts. One for me and one for my dad. If there was one thing that made me angrier than my father, it was my mother.

Dad was the closest I could get to family.

* * *

We were in a packed elevator. Down into the dam for a tour.

Dad was somewhere or other. I lost him at some point. I saw him last when he brightened as I handed him the damn dam t-shirt (I'm hilarious.). I said sorry, and that I really did kind of enjoy Hoover Dam. It was pretty. He was so happy, he hugged me and I was actually kind of happy too. But then, Dad ruined it by asking if I wanted to go to that all girls boarding school. I said, "Ha-ha. NO!" laughing, and then I walked away. But seriously, I'm not setting foot in that school.

I had to pee really badly, though.

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach it's destination. I jiggled my foot and accidently kicked the lady in front of me several times. She and what I assumed was her friend kept whipping around and casting me the dirtiest looks I've ever experience.

"Mom," I said as we were getting out of the annoyingly packed elevator, "Do they have a bathroom here?"

She turned towards me, her elegant, beautiful, flawless face nearly emotionless. Everytime I looked into her irridescent eyes, I was reminded of how many jokes were never shared between us, how little we talked, how often I didn't see her. I was reminded that she buys clothes, goes to the spa, and read magazines, while I speak out, do messy forms of art, and raise money for causes my dad could easily pay for (but doesn't).

My mother turned to the guide.

"Ahem! Excuse me? Is there a bathroom somewhere around here, sir?" she called to him. He blushed bright red, and agrees to lead her there with a wink. I thought it was pretty unprofessional of him to leave our group by itself until I spotted another guide, a woman who'd gotten off the second elevator, with us. I followed the lanky form of the male guide and my mother's slight shape walking side by side halfway to the bathroom before the guide stiffened. He spun around.

"And why aren't you with the group, young lady?" He said through grit teeth. He wanted some "alone time" with my mom. Gross.

I smile sweetly.

"She's my mother!" I said pointing at Mother. "I asked her if there was a bathroom, and she asked you."

The guide is obviously embarrassed and I noticed how he took a step away from my mom. Good. Too old for you, dude.  
My mom sighed.

"Alright, well. Thank you, Ethan, for those detailed directions. Honey, just keep going for a little while and turn. He said it was pretty obvious where it was..."  
Mother brushed past me and clicked down the corridor, sliding on her Gucci sunglasses, in pursuit of the attractive guide named Ethan. How did that help at all down here? There was no sun, therefore, hello, no need for sunglasses! But I was mostly angry because I knew my mther was planning on sleeping with Ethan. She didn't care about my dad. She didn't care about anything.

I shrugged to myself and continued to the bathroom. I did my business, taking my time (I hoped the tour would be done by the time I was done.) and left to go back to the group.

I returned while the tour guide was blabbing about useless information (The only thing I want to know is how enviromentally friendly they think the place is.). The crowd was weirdly still, no shuffling, except for a boy who had his back to me. He moved through the crowd, towards where I was. I squinted, because I didn't remember him being in the elevator... No, I was the only kid on the tour. I pondered this as I studied him. He was was standing in front of me, suddenly. Some snot decided to try and make a break from my nose to... wherever snot likes to go, and I instinctively pulled out a kleenex and blew into it while eyeing the raven-haired kid.

Naturally, the boy in front of me spun around, a glowing bronze sword in his hands and pointed directly at my neck. I yelped, earning me two annoyed looks from the women I kicked in the elevator, but I ignored them. I turned my attention back to the surprisingly cute (No, really. If you only saw his face. Male-model perfection. Speaking of which, he'd look great in golden body paint. Which I could paint on him.. Yes... Good idea, Rachel...) guy with an astonished look on his face.

"Do you always try to kill people who sneeze?" I ask him increduously, through my shock.

This is when my life changed.


End file.
